LLOYD YOTHER PROFILE

Lloyd Yother

La Primera Del Ano Derby finalist Answer The Dream began her career where most of Garvan Kelly's horses do: in Oklahoma.Originally trained by Charley Hunt (and briefly by Brandon Parum as well), this chestnut filly has really blossomed in California under the care of AQHA Champion trainer Paul Jones."Having Paul train your horse is just a huge benefit all the way around," said Kelly."He does all of the little things right, little quirks with each horse, changes in their diet, you name it.Also, this filly really seemed like the type that would develop later and that turned out to be a pretty good assessment.She's turned into a really nice filly."

Upon arriving in California, Answer The Dream had made five career starts, all in Oklahoma, and had yet to visit the winner's circle.In her very first out at Los Alamitos, she woke up in a big way.The three-year-old daughter of Tres Seis crushed a field of maidens by two lengths, and earned a 96-speed index for the win.She would also win her next two starts and bring an impressive three-race win streak into the finals of the Grade I Los Alamitos Winter Derby in February.In her next start, she was victorious over allowance company despite a stumbled start and then went on to defeat a very strong field of horses in her Winter Derby trial that included Fighter On Fire and Magic Show Czech.

"She ran a pretty good race in the Derby," Garvan added."I really felt like she could have beaten the boys that day.I even bet her pretty good too because she went off at such a high price at 9-1."

In the trials to the La Primera Del Ano Derby, Answer The Dream dueled throughout and was closing ground on My Lady First before the wire."Another jump and I think we would have caught her," said Kelly."She's just a really honest horse.She always leaves the gates alertly and she just doesn't have any quit in her.I think she can beat any filly on the grounds if she has good racing luck."

Following the La Primera Del Ano, Garvan Kelly and part-owners Nancy Yearsley and Lloyd Yother intend to give Answer The Dream some time off and freshen her for the trials of the $750,000 Los Alamitos Super Derby, to be run in mid-October.